Messages - WisdomLost

I have been putting together my first LinuxMCE (10.04) Hybrid Core, and ran into a problem. I wanted to re-use an old ATI HD650 PCI card to capture a live stream from my STB. The plan was to allow normal channel selection and DVR play from the STB remote, for now. Unfortunately, the PCI card is not compatible with my PCI-E motherboard. So now I'm stuck buying a new "tuner" card.

10.04 hardware documentation is still sparse (unless I'm just not looking in the right place) so it's hard to tell how new is too new. I was hoping to find an HDMI-capture card (AverMedia AVerTV HD, maybe?) but I wasn't sure if it will do the job. If there are no good HDMI-Input options, I can easily settle for other input connections, as long as they support HD content (some coax inputs will carry HD.) but HDMI is clearly the preference. I have AT&T Uverse, so a tuner card directly from the wall isn't an option.

The video capture is the only piece I am missing ahead of the install, and nothing is "latest and greatest", so if I have more "proven" options under 8.10, I can still go that route. The long-term plan is to bring in as many as 4 STB inputs to a separate core, but for now I will have the single hybrid to learn on. Any suggestions will be a great help, as I am trying to do this the right way, and am hungry for any knowledge available.

Thanks again for the quick response. It looks like qOrbiter is my best option. I already own a Nexus 7 (very quickly taken-over by my 5-year-old!) I was looking at an Android-based "kid-oriented" tablet at Wally-World ($99US) as a potential orbiter. Worst-case, my son gets a new tablet, and I get my Nexus back... win-win!

I've read in the forum about setups that kept the STB remote functioning as the primary channel-selector. I'll probably go this route (at least initially) to keep a "natural" feel, and to give me a little time with the learning-curve. I'll add a IR blaster and have dual control before we decide whether to get rid of the STB remote. I'm starting with a hybrid setup, but very interrested in the progress with the Raspberry PI as a MD!

My wife is a bit technophobic (it doesn't help that I've experimented with the living-room TV countless times), so I have to slide into the MCE arena slowly. My curent DLNA server (Ubuntu 12.04) is headless and hidden-away in the living room, and she hasn't even questioned "how" we get those movies on the TV. I will have to migrate to LinuxMCE when she's not paying attention, but if all goes well, she won't even notice the change. After we run the system for a while, I'll pop out the Nexus and pick a movie.

Once she's happy with that, I'll be able to add the security and a little zWave action. I don't know if she'll ever be ready for phones, or if she'll even consider dropping the alarm monitoring, but I'm sure she'll be happy with media and cameras, and a light here and there.

Thanks again for the info! It's great that we have such a responsive community willing to help. I hope to be able to ANSWER a few questions in the comming months, but for now I am limited to asking. It's time to dive in and get my hands dirty!

Thank you! I hadn't though about the orbiter as a "view node" for cameras. This is a much better solution than PIP. I am in the process of getting some "cheap" Android devices to run the orbiter app. Should this setup stream video, or would I need an orbiter running a Linux OS?

I am new to LinuxMCE, and have not had time to run through all the features yet. In searching the forum, I have not seen anything regarding picture-in-picture (PIP) capabilities. Is it possible to have a security camera displayed within the curent media, either on an event (through a security scenario) or by direct selection via an orbiter? I think this would be a very convenient feature if someone is at the door, or your wife "hears something outside."

If PIP is not suported, could the security scenario go to a quad view (or other multi-view layout) with the movie/TV as one of the frames?